1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the packaging of wound material, and in particular to such packaging in containers using inserts for retaining the wound material in its coiled or wound form both during retention within the container and during unwinding of the material, and even more particularly to a folding cone used as the insert and the wound package of material including the folding cone.
The wound material preferably comprises flexible material such as electrical conductor that is wound in a FIG. 8 configuration with at least one radial hole extending from the outside of the wound material to the inner core thereof such that the flexible material may be unwound or paid-out from the innermost winding through the radial hole. Method and apparatus for winding flexible material in such a FIG. 8 configuration are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,178,130 and 4,406,419, assigned to the same Assignee as the present application.
2. Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,491 discloses a package for a wind of flexible material in which the wind is enclosed in a box having end-forming flaps hinged about axes perpendicular to the axial opening of the wind. The end-forming flaps include tapered members, such as truncated pyramids, projecting inwardly from the end walls, with the pyramids formed by the folding of a blank of cardboard, which has extendable flaps inter-engaged with the end flaps of the box to hold the pyramids in position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,019,636 relates to a dispensing package of coiled strand material wherein a series of connected walls form a perimeter around the coil, and each of the walls has opposed hinged flaps. Tabs on each side of the coil interlock to form a tapered boss extending into the open center of the coil spaced from, but facing, the like opposing boss.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,533 discloses a packaqe for retaining wound material within a container having a perforated corner portion for feeding material from the winding. The bottom and upper surfaces of the container include intersecting cone sections for supporting the inner windings of the material.
In the above containers, the operator has to make up the box or container, open the flaps and align the coil with the payout hole in the side of the winding and then close the flaps--often damaging the end portions of the cardboard cones formed in opposing end members of flaps of the container.
There have been other attempts to provide support for a containerized winding such as the cone elements and configuations disclosed in each of U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,689,005, 3,877,661, and 3,923,270. Thus, U.S Pat. No. 3,689,005 discloses conical members with rounded points extending into the axial space within the wound package from each end, with the tips of the conical members being spaced apart by a distance only slightly greater than the greatest cross-sectional dimension of the flexible material, or being movable apart to provide such a spacing. The conical members are supported by the walls of the container.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,877,661, the wound package is mounted on opposed conical members which are directed towards each other and inserted into the ends of the axial space of the winding within the wound package.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,270, a wound package is provided with tapered members within the axial opening of the wind to guide the individual coils of the material as they are withdrawn, with solid material being arranged in the space between the cones and the inner wall of the container with the solid material being held against the inside coils of the package, thereby preventing inward collapse of the inner wall of the package during shipment and handling.
One of the disadvantages of cones formed as integral portions of, for example, the end flaps of the carton is that the end flaps are weakened by the presence of the cones. The operator of a winding machine has to assemble the carton and arrange the cones to be aligned with the payout tube in the wound coil and then close the flaps which often results in damage to the end cones made of cardboard.